Explaining 1Care Policy: Its Proposals, Rationale and Feasibility

Determining the most effective health financing system to enable Universal Coverage (UC) is of central concern to national policymakers worldwide. UC allows the delivery of healthcare for all citizens regardless of income. For the World Health Organization (WHO), it constitutes a fundamental human right, and is seen as a key step in reaching the health Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

For those countries that already provide UC, policy-makers must focus on finding ways to raise the quality of services provided and make delivery more economically efficient. Restructuring should pursue allocative efficiency – targeting funds and resources to the activities which will return the most gains – and technical efficiency – using those resources (including equipment, drugs and staff) to generate the greatest output.

Malaysia already provides UC for a relatively low level of government spending. Motions to reform the healthcare system therefore cite the need to raise the standard of universal healthcare and make the allocation and expenditure of resources more efficient.

On 11 August 2009, the Malaysian Ministry of Health (MOH) presented a document to the Prime Minister and Economic Council proposing a reform package for the health sector, entitled 1Care for 1Malaysia (1Care). The following paper places this proposal in the framework of international universal healthcare objectives and the Malaysian national context, and assesses its viability amid growing controversy in Malaysia.